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Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

Integrating research and outreach education from UMass Amherst

  • About
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  • Extension
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  • Programs
    • Extension Programs Overview
    • 4-H Youth Development
    • Clean Energy Extension
    • Climate Change
    • Cranberry Station
    • Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine
    • Food Science Extension
    • Fruit
    • Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture
    • Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry
    • Nutrition Education
    • Turf
    • Value-Added Food
    • Vegetable
  • Research
    • Mass Agricultural Experiment Station
    • Information About Accessing Research Funds
    • Research Projects
    • NIFA Integrated Research and Outreach Initiatives
    • Civil Rights Information & Resources
    • Summer Scholars Program
    • REEU Internship Program
  • Resources
    • Resources Overview
    • Interest Areas
    • Extension Sales Portal
    • Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture
    • Community & Economic Vitality
    • Disaster Preparedness
    • Food Safety
    • Home Lawn & Garden
    • Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
    • Land Conservation Tools
    • Pollinators
    • Tick Testing Resources
    • Urban Agriculture
  • Services
    • Services Overview
    • Pesticide Education
    • Plant Diagnostics Laboratory
    • Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory
    • Hot Water Seed Treatment
    • Environmental Analysis Laboratory
  • Farms
    • Farms and Facilities Overview
    • Cold Spring Orchard Research and Education Center
    • Cranberry Station
    • Crop and Animal Research and Education Farm
    • Equine and Livestock Research and Education Farm in Hadley
    • Joseph Troll Turf Research Center
  • News & Events
    • Center News
    • Upcoming Events
    • News from the Media
    • Faculty/Staff Brief Bios
    • Spotlight Stories
    • Video Gallery

Business Resources for Farmers

There are many agricultural resources for beginning and existing farmers in Massachusetts. Use these links below (or in the left bar) to find specific resources for starting a farm or for an existing farm in Massachusetts.

Starting to Plan

Where to Go for Help

Organizations, agencies available to help people interested in starting a farm in Massachusetts.

Finding Land for Farming

Organizations that provide assistance for finding land for farming in Massachusetts and other resources for finding farmland.

Farm Business Planning

Resources for farm business planning.

Finances and Taxes

Financing Options for Beginning a Farm

Organizations for financing options if you are starting a farm in Massachusetts.

Budgets

Examples of budgets for vegetables and greenhouse crops, resources for other budgets and creating your own.

Income/Property Taxes

Where to go for information on income taxes and property taxes for farms in Massachusetts.

Collecting Sales Tax

Where to go for information on collecting sales tax in Massachusetts including farm products exempt from sales tax.

Regulations and Laws

Land Use Regulations and Taxation

Resources for land use regulations and land use taxation including Chapter 61A for farmers in Massachusetts.

Water Regulations

Information on the Water Management Act and Zone II regulations.

Pesticide Regulations

Regulations for using pesticides on farms in Massachusetts.

Other Regulations

Other regulations for those looking to farm in Massachusetts. 

Labor Laws

Where to go for information on labor laws in Massachusetts and a publication on labor regulations for farmers.

Zoning

Where to go for information on zoning regulations for farmers in Massachusetts.

Other Resources

Crop Insurance and Disaster Assistance

Where to go for information on crop insurance and disaster assistance for farms in Massachusetts.

Agricultural Marketing/Promotion Organizations in Massachusetts for Farmers

Resources for agricultural marketing (farmers markets, roadside stands, "blue" highway signs, local market groups) and promotion organizations in Massachusetts for farmers.

Organic Certification and Farming

Information on organic certification and resources for organic farming.

Food Safety

Information on "Good Agricultural Practices", resources for safe food handling and food safety regulations. 

Government Agencies

Information about United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies, Department of Environmental Protection and others.

Other Agricultural Organizations in Massachusetts

Links to many agricultural associations and non-profit organizations the serve farmers in Massachusetts.

Business Resources for Farmers

  • Overview
  • Best Management Practices (BMPs)
  • Nutrient Management
  • Management Guides
  • Pest Alerts/Messages
  • Newsletters
  • Food Safety for Farmers
  • Business Resources for Farmers
    • Where to Go for Help
    • Finding Land for Farming
    • Farm Business Planning
    • Financing Options for Beginning a Farm
    • Budgets
    • Income/Property Taxes
    • Collecting Sales Tax
    • Land Use Regulations and Taxation
    • Water Regulations
    • Pesticide Regulations
    • Other Regulations
    • General Laws for Mass. Agriculture
    • Labor Laws
    • Zoning
    • Disaster Assistance and Crop Insurance
    • Agricultural Marketing/Promotion Organizations in Massachusetts for Farmers
    • Organic Certification and Farming
    • Food Safety
  • Beginning Farmers Resources
  • Pesticide Education Training
  • Farm-Specific FAQs
  • Commonwealth Quality
  • Agricultural and Commercial Horticulture Organizations in Massachusetts
  • State and Federal Government Agencies
  • Massachusetts Agricultural Data
  • Swarm Removal

Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

 

Stockbridge Hall,
80 Campus Center Way
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-9246
Phone: (413) 545-4800
Fax: (413) 545-6555
ag [at] cns [dot] umass [dot] edu (ag[at]cns[dot]umass[dot]edu)

 

Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination Information

College of Natural Sciences

Login for faculty and staff

CAFE Units

Mass. Agricultural Experiment Station

UMass Extension

UMass Research and Education Center Farms

UMass Cranberry Station

Water Resources Research Center

Interest Areas

Agriculture

Commercial Horticulture

Energy

Environmental Conservation

Food Science

Nutrition

Water

Youth Development & 4-H

Services

Pesticide Education

Plant Diagnostics Laboratory

Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory

Hot Water Seed Treatment

Water Testing / Environmental Analysis Laboratory

Projects

Conservation Assessment Prioritization System (CAPS)

Extension Risk Management/Crop Insurance Education

Mass. Envirothon

Mass. Herp Atlas

Mass. Keystone

MassWoods

North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative

RiverSmart

UMass Design Center in Springfield

Resources

Extension Sales Portal

Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture Resources

Community & Economic Vitality

Disaster Preparedness

Food Safety

Home Lawn & Garden

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Land Conservation Tools

Pollinators

Tick testing

Resources for Faculty and Staff

Extension Programs

4-H Youth Development

Agriculture

Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine

Fruit

Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture

Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry

Pesticide Education

Turf

Vegetable

Clean Energy

Climate Change

Food Science

Nutrition Education

Value-Added Food

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